While studying Zoology, Mark realised that there was something wrong with the way science tries to understand the world. He realised that we cannot understand life by taking it to pieces because the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. He has searched for answers in two realms: understanding traditional wisdom in search of healing, and understanding how to create a sustainable future. Motivated to make mindfulness a force for social change, he played a key role in establishing the Oxford Mindfulness Centre in 2008. He then developed Mindfulness-Based Organisational Education (MBOE), which is the first short 'social mindfulness' programme recognised by BAMBA and VMBN. Social mindfulness enables us to see how thoughts and feelings shape the way we see each other and ourselves and this empowers us to work together in service of the greater good.

Mediation offered by

Zindika Kamauesi :

Zindika is an author, speaker, and a transformational writing success coach. She is the founder of Meditate and Grow, an inspirational blog and youtube channel. She teaches people how to use writing as therapy, to raise their confidence, self-esteem and their self-expression. She helps people who want to work on their personal development through meditation and writing. She is the author of six books and delivers motivational talks on the topics of women and migration, meditation and writing.

Pay what you can:

In our course descriptions, we include different rates of suggested contribution. We offer standard, Sponsor, and hardship rates. We run the project as a not-for-profit organisation. It depends on numerous forms of generosity and voluntary labour. If you can offer more than the standard rate that we suggest, then please do. Your offering will help to support the on-going work development and enable the marginalised who are economically less well off to gain access to the work.

Please look at the suggested contributions on the booking page and enter into the spirit of the solidarity economy by buying a retreat for someone. And there are those who would like to attend this retreat or workshop and would benefit from it, but who cannot afford to do so. We price our events on a non-profit basis and make them as affordable as we can, and we offer bursaries. But we also rely on the generosity of others to enable us to enable those who cannot afford to do so, to attend. So please, if you can, buy an extra ticket which we will allocate to someone who really needs it. Alternatively, please offer a donation - we are grateful for any amount - which will be directly used to finance a ticket for others.


Dana - Teacher Fees.

The word Dana is a Sanskrit and Pali word which means giving something unconditionally with an open heart. It is an ancient practice in Buddhism for cultivating generosity. This retreat is offered in the tradition of Dana by the teachers. We ask you to consider with care what is possible for you to give, knowing that the teachers rely on Dana to support their living so that they will be able to continue teaching.